Taylor Swift cancels Thai gig after coup

Agence France-Presse

BANGKOK- Country-pop star Taylor Swift has cancelled an upcoming sold-out concert in politically turbulent Thailand, the singer confirmed Tuesday, after the army took control of the country and imposed a curfew and martial law.

Swift was due to play at the Impact Arena on the outskirts of the capital Bangkok on June 9, but organisers announced it had been cancelled "due to recent events in Thailand", according to a post on the Thai Ticket Major website.

"I'm sending my love to the fans in Thailand. I'm so sad about the concert being canceled," Swift said in a post on Twitter.

The 24-year-old pop diva is due to tour the region as part of her "Red Tour" in the coming weeks.

Thailand's powerful military ousted the civilian government of former premier Yingluck Shinawatra Thursday following months of street protests.

The kingdom has been repeatedly rocked by rival demonstrations from enemies of Yingluck's divisive brother Thaksin, who was ousted in a 2006 coup, as well as his "Red Shirt" supporters.

Thailand's junta has curbed civil liberties and restricted the media, imposed a nightly curfew and abrogated most of the constitution.

Swift has other concerts in Shanghai, Tokyo, Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia and Singapore in May and June.